Doggy Style

Vas Saranga

The Actor With His Rescues Lincoln & Lola

By The Get Leashed Doggy Style Team

Sometimes, a perfect pet is not a puppy. For Vas and his wife Marina, who had wanted to add a dog to their fur family of one cat, the dog who was meant to be theirs was a nine year old senior rescue Yorkie named Lincoln. Leading an atypical and busy schedule in the TV and film industry (you may recognize Vas from Orphan Black), personality fit was key to any adoption. Read on as we get to know more about this family dynamic, Vas’ upcoming projects, and fall in love with Lincoln’s perfectly imperfect smile.

Please tell us about yourself, your profession, and what a typical work day is like:

I’m a professional film and television actor so I have an unusual schedule. My schedule revolves around shoots and auditions, so the time that I wake up usually varies quite a bit. One thing is for certain, my day always starts with some coffee. I make a mean Americano. I usually read the news while my dog Lincoln sits on my lap, and my cat Lola sits beside me on the couch. My wife Marina and I trade duties every morning – one of us feeds the pets, the other takes Lincoln on his first walk.

Next I’ll make a smoothie or have some oatmeal and do a quick workout at home. If I have lines to memorize I’ll keep running them over and over during this time. If I have a shoot day on a project then I’ll be gone for most of the day, but if I have an audition then I’ll only be out for a few hours. When I come home I’ll walk Lincoln again and catch up on emails. And of course I’ll spend time with my wife and our pet family in the evening. Depending on whether I have an audition or shoot the next day, I’ll either be studying a script or memorizing new lines.

Please tell us a bit about Lincoln and Lola. How did they come into your life? Is there a story behind the names or why you chose a cat and dog?

Our cat, Lola, was adopted first, seven years ago. She was given the name Lola by the Humane Society. She was one and a half when we adopted her. We chose a cat at the time because my wife and I were both working away from home a lot and we wanted a pet that would be more independent. An indoor cat fit the bill perfectly. We fell in love with Lola as soon as we saw her. Another couple was looking at her first, but they adopted a different pet, so we were able to take Lola home. After exploring our house for a few hours, Lola warmed up to us quickly.

My wife and I talked about adopting a dog for many years, agreeing that we liked small breeds, especially Yorkies. Three years ago she saw Lincoln on the Facebook page for Happy Tails Rescue Ontario (a wonderful rescue organization for small breeds) and told me that we had to go see him. At first we thought we wanted a puppy or a younger dog, but became open to adopting a senior dog when we found out that Lincoln was around 9 years old when he was rescued. I agreed as soon as I saw his picture, and we made an appointment to meet the family that was fostering him. They introduced us to Lincoln and he was very affectionate with us right from the start. They said he was named by someone at Happy Tails. She gave him a strong name, even though he was so tiny. The foster family thought he was a good fit for us and we took him home a few days later. He’s been the happiest little guy every since, and he’s made us even happier.

We liked the idea of having a cat and a dog, because we like both equally, and we thought they might keep each other company when they wanted it, and not bother each other when they didn’t. It turns out that they nap close to each other a lot.

We know you’re busy working on a few things right now. What can our readers expect to see you in next?

I play a recurring character, Amar, in the final season of Orphan Black, which is airing right now on Space Channel. I’m also part of the cast of CBS’s brand new summer series, Salvation, which is an exciting thriller about an asteroid on course to collide with earth, and the people that try to stop the world from ending. I also play a character in season 2 of The Girlfriend Experience which will be out this fall on Starz.

We saw firsthand how Lincoln enjoys your guitar playing. What other passions do you have besides acting?

I love writing. I’m working on a feature film and a TV pilot script at the moment with some writing partners.

How would you describe your personal style?

Simple and modern. I’m not very flashy.

How would you describe the look and feel of your home?

Clean, trendy, artsy, and open concept.

What does your ideal weekend look like?

The ideal weekend is a getaway to a bed and breakfast in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

What inspires you?

Other artists inspire me. The actors, writers, directors, and musicians that I see every day (or even follow on social media), give me constant inspiration.

Finally, can you leave us with a funny story about Lincoln or Lola?

When we first adopted Lincoln, he was very quiet and never barked or made any noise. Everyone would comment that he was always silent and calm. Soon we realized that he only growls or barks when he gets jealous, and he mostly gets jealous of Lola, especially when she tries to sit on my lap at the same time that he wants to.